(no subject)

Ben is sick.

He hasn't been eating for the last two or three days: dry food, treats, table scraps, canned food - nothing. He's been listless (which I suppose goes with the not eating), and he's begun to smell a bit.

I took him to the vet this morning. He's running about a degree of fever; he's a little dehydrated, and his belly is sensitive. The vet, palpating, didn't find any suspicious lumps in the belly, but given his age she's concerned about possible organ trouble - kidneys, liver, maybe just pancreatitis. At any rate, she recommended hospitalization.

He'll be there for the next two or three days. They'll call me as soon as they get the bloodwork results back, probably later today.

I've been fighting tears, off and on.

Birthday

Happy birthday, mareklamo!

Ben

The news is better. He has a nasty infestation of coccidia parasites, but that can be handled by a course of medication. (For safety's sake, Murphy will have to receive the same treatment.) The bloodwork showed no abnormalities other than what you'd expect from the infestation, which rules out a number of worse possibilities. They've hydrated him, and he's quite a bit perkier.

I'll be able to bring him home tomorrow morning. There are some precautions I'll have to take around the house and yard to reduce the likelihood of a recurrence, but other than that - and the medications - it looks like clear sailing.

Thanks, everyone, for the support.